Russia Prepares for Arctic Terrorism Russia Prepares for Arctic Terrorism By MarEx 2015-12-30 17:55:20 Russian president Vladimir Putin has decided to establish a counter-terrorism center in Murmansk amid fears that terrorism is coming to the Arctic. The Barents Observer reports a government degree stating the center will “organize use of force” and “manage counter-terrorism operations” in Russian territorial waters, the economic zone and on the Russian continental shelf. Similar centers will be built in Kaspiisk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka and Sevastopol, local media reports. Murmansk lies above the Arctic Circle on the shores of Kola Bay, an inlet of the Barents Sea. Russia has been building its military capabilities in the Arctic over the last few years including building and upgrading bases on the New Siberian Islands and Franz Josef Land.

Early in 2015, the Russian Armed Forces officially established its new Arctic Brigade, a force partly based on the 80th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade in Alakurtti and the 200th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade in Pechenga, both of them located near the borders of Norway and Finland. The Barents Observer reports that the new unit conducted a major anti-terrorism exercise in October. Also in October, Russia's defense ministry said it has built a military base in the far northern Arctic where 150 soldiers can live autonomously for up to 18 months. Murmansk, Russia | Article about Murmansk, Russia by The Free Dictionary Murmansk, Russia | Article about Murmansk, Russia by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Murmansk (mo͝ormänsk`), city (1989 pop. 468,000), capital of Murmansk region, NW European Russia, on the Kola Gulf of the Barents Sea. It is the terminus of the Northeast Passage Northeast Passage, water route along the northern coast of Europe and Asia, between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Beginning in the 15th cent., efforts were made to find a new all-water route to India and China. ..... Click the link for more information. and the world's largest city N of the Arctic Circle, with a polar research institute. For many years this ice-free port was a leading Soviet freight port, a base for fishing fleets, a major naval base, and the main home port of the Russian nuclear submarine fleet. Until the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the loss of state funding, Murmansk was a thriving industrial, commercial, and shipping center. Now the formerly active railroad terminus linked with Moscow and St. Petersburg has seen train traffic decrease by half. Its fish canneries, shipyards, textile factories, breweries, and sawmills have laid off workers, the commercial fleets have been sold for scrap or land their catch outside Russia, and the nuclear submarines relocated. Murmansk was only a small village before World War I. The port and its rail line inland from Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) were built in 1915–16, when the Central Powers cut off the Russian Baltic and Black Sea supply routes.

Allied forces occupied the Murmansk area from 1918 to 1920, during the Russian civil war. A major World War II supply base and port for Anglo-American convoys, Murmansk was bombarded by the Germans. During the 1970s and 80s, the Sea of Murmansk was the dump site for the exhausted cores of Soviet nuclear reactors. Murmansk oblast, with rich apatite and nickel mines, was enlarged after World War II through the incorporation of former Finnish territories, notably Petsamo ( Pechenga Pechenga , Finnish Petsamo, town, NW European Russia, an ice-free port at the head of Pechenga Fjord on the Barents Sea and near the Norwegian border. It is also the northern terminus of an Arctic highway. Pechenga serves as the base for a fishing (notably herring) fleet. ..... Click the link for more information. ). Murmansk (until April 1917, Romanov-na-Murmane), a city; center of Murmansk Oblast, RSFSR.

An ice-free port on the eastern coast of Kola Bay of the Barents Sea, 50 km from the open sea. Railroad station. Population, 338,000 (1973; in 1939, 119,000; in 1926, 9,000). Murmansk was founded on Sept. 21, 1916, in connection with the creation of a seaport on Kola Bay and the construction of the Murmansk Railroad. Soviet power was established there on Oct. 26 (Nov. 8), 1917. From March 1918 to February 1920 the city was occupied by troops of the Entente and by the White Guards. Soviet power was restored on Feb. 21, 1920, and on March 7 units of the Red Army entered Murmansk. In 1921 the city became the center of Murmansk Province, and in 1927, of Murmansk Okrug, Leningrad Oblast. It became an oblast center in 1938.

Under the prewar five-year plans it was transformed from a small port into an important industrial center. The port played an important role in supplying the country and the army during the Great Patriotic War (1941–45), when it received cargoes shipped by the Soviet Union’s allies in the struggle against fascist Germany. The city’s main industries are fishing and fish processing, ship repair, and building materials. Trawler, herring, and merchant and auxiliary fleets are based in Murmansk. Among the city’s outstanding industrial enterprises are the Sudoverf association, the Murmansk Fish Combine, a house-building combine, and a wooden container combine. Fishing implements and furniture are produced in Murmansk, and there is a food-processing industry. Located in the city are the N. M. Knipovich Polar Scientific Research and Planning Institute of Marine Fishing and Oceanography and the Higher School of Marine Engineering, as well as a pedagogical institute and navigational, medical, pedagogical, and music schools. The oblast drama theater, a puppet theater, the oblast museum of local lore, and a naval museum are located in Murmansk.

In 1971 the city was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Murmansk a port in NW Russia, on the Kola Inlet of the Barents Sea: founded in 1915; the world's largest town north of the Arctic Circle, with a large fishing fleet. Pop.: 316 000 (2005 est.) Murmansk - YouTube Murmansk Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Nov 14, 2014 Murmansk (Russian: Му́рманск; Kildin Sami: Мурман ланнҍ; Northern Sami: Murmánska; Skolt Sami: Muurman) is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, an inlet of the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, close to the Russia's borders with Norway and Finland. Despite its extreme northern location above the Arctic Circle, Murmansk tends to be nearly the same as any other Russian city of its size, featuring highway and railway access to the rest of Europe, a railway station, and a trolleybus system, in fact, the northernmost on Earth. This video is targeted to blind users.

Attribution: Article text available under CC-BY-SA Creative Commons image source in video Category Murmansk | Russia | Britannica.com Murmansk Kazan Murmansk, formerly (until 1917) Romanov-na-murmane , seaport and centre of Murmansk oblast (region), northwestern Russia , lying 125 miles (200 km) north of the Arctic Circle , and on the eastern shore of Kola Bay, 30 miles (48 km) from the ice-free Barents Sea . The town, founded in 1915 as a supply port in World War I , was a base for the British, French, and American expeditionary forces against the Bolsheviks in 1918. In World War II Murmansk served as the main port for Anglo-American convoys carrying war supplies to the U.S.S.R. through the Arctic Ocean . The town is now an important fishing port, and its fish-processing plant is one of the largest in Europe . Murmansk’s ice-free harbour makes it Russia’s only port with unrestricted access to the Atlantic and world sea routes. From December to May it replaces icebound St.

Petersburg as the major port of the northwest. Murmansk is connected by railroad with St. Petersburg and Moscow and the mining and industrial centres of Monchegorsk and Kirovsk . Major industries in Murmansk include fishing, fish processing, and shipbuilding. Education and research establishments include a teacher-training institute and a research institute of marine fisheries and oceanography. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Murmansk’s economy suffered, as major industries were unprofitable under market economy conditions and most fishing vessels were contracted out to Norwegian and other foreign companies. As a result, many people left the city, and in the 1990s the city’s population dropped by more than one-fourth, though by the early 21st century the city had made a successful transition to a market economy. Murmansk is the largest city in the world north of the Arctic Circle. Its name probably derives from the local Sami word murman, meaning “the edge of the earth.” Pop. (2005 est.) 325,101. Lighthouse in Murmansk, Russia.

Murmansk travel guide - Wikitravel Murmansk ( Russian : Му́рманск) [1] is a city in the extreme northwest of Russia and the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle. The Alesha Statue Understand[ edit ] With a population of over 300,000, Murmansk is the largest city in the Arctic and an important Russian naval base and commercial port. During World War II (known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War), Murmansk served as a port for the arctic convoys, and after the war became the Soviet Union's most important submarine base. By plane[ edit ] Murmansk Airport [2] ( IATA : MMK) has multiple daily flights to Moscow and Saint Petersburg , and limited services to other Russian cities including Arkhangelsk , Sochi and Rostov-on-the-Don . Seasonal flights are avalible from Helsinki . The airport is located about 40km south of Murmansk, near the town of Murmashi. Taxis to the city center cost about R700 and make the trip in about 40 minutes.

Catching a taxi waiting outside the airport is more expensive, expect to pay up to R800. For cheaper (and official) taxiservice, you have to order a taxi, expect to wait up to 30-40 minutes for it to arrive, though. Bus 106 goes to the train station, stopping at Detsky Mir near the Poliarnie Zori Hotel on it's way, is less expensive but much more sluggish than a taxi. By boat[ edit ] During the summer months, Murmansk Shipping Company [3] offers occasional trips to and from Barentsburg on Svalbard . They also serve remote villages along the northen coast of the Kola peninsula, most notably the isolated naval base of Ostrovnoy, with 2-3 trips per month. By train[ edit ] Murmansk Railway Station Murmansk can be reached from most places in north-west Russia by train. Moscow is 35-40 hours away and Saint Petersburg 27-30 hours, depending on the train. The Arktika (Арктика) branded train is the fastest option, it also offers first-class wagons and a restaurant onboard.

All trains make stop-overs in cities such as Kandalaksha and Petrozavodsk on their way. Other night trains reach Murmansk from cities as far east as Arkhangelsk or from Minsk and Brest in the west. There is also a local night train from Nikel close to the Norwegian border. Trains from Saint Petersburg and Moscow are daily, most others 2-3 times a week. During summer additional routes are added, mostly to Ukraine and the Black Sea. The central train is located in the city center, one block downhill from Five Corners Square on ul. Kominterna, 16. You will probably get a quick FSB control once you arrıve at the traın statıon. Routıne stuff, no worrıes. By bus[ edit ] There are bus connections from Finland ( Ivalo , with connecting bus from Rovaniemi ) and Kirkenes in Norway . Keep in mind that departure times of Russian bus companies from Kirkenes usually are given in Moscow time. Get around[ edit ] Although Murmansk is long and thin, most sites of interest to visitors are within a fairly compact area in the city center.

Prospekt Lenina is the main north-south thoroughfare through the city center and the central Five Corners Square. Avid walkers could cover the entire stretch of the central area from the Poliarnie Zori Hotel on the south end of the city center to the Alyosha Statue, which is situated on a plateau on the north side of the city in less than two hours. Trolleybuses are available on most larger streets and generally follows a north-south route, if you are heading east ("up the hill") you have to rely on the small marshrootka buses. Notice that both buses and trolleybuses can be much-delayed during rush hour due to traffic jams. A new route planner, which also shows realtime locations of trolleybuses on the most used lines, is available online [4] , the catch is it's in Russian only. Another option is to use taxis, which are plentiful and cheap, few drivers speak anything other then Russian so memorize the street or name of the place you are going to. A typical journey in the city centre will cost somewhere around 300 RUB. Unmarked taxis can be cheaper but are generally a bit unreliable to use for those not fluent in the native tongue.

The most convenient way to get around is to order a personal English-speaking guide with a car. It is also not expensive. Usually the price is about 1000 RUB per hour. See[ edit ][ add listing ] As a relatively new entity, Murmansk has few real sights apart from the giant statue Alyosha; architecture buffs will, however, be intrigued by the crumbling but Stalinist architecture downtown. Walking up into the nearby hills offers remarkable views over the city, Kola bay and the surrounding completely barren mountains - revealing how far north the city really is. Alyosha Statue, (North of centre on hill near lake Semyonovskaya, access by road that curves around north of the lake. Nearest bus stop is Gagarina (Гагаринa), northbound trolleybus lines 2, 3 and 4 calls there). The city's pride and most recognizable sight. Officially named Defenders of the Soviet Arctic, but known as Alyosha to all, this 30-meter-tall statue of a soldier overlooks the city and was built in 1974 to commemorate the Soviet defence of the Arctic during World War II.

It's common for wedding parties to visit the statue and drink a bottle of champagne in front of it. The grassy hills surrounding Alyosha are good hiking grounds with dirt footpaths leading back towards the city. edit Nuclear icebreaker Lenin (Aтомный ледокол Ленин), (At the docks, cross the railway on an elevated bridge next to the central station on the north side, turn right then left after 150m). The world's first nuclear powered surface ship now rests in the docks of Murmansk and has been turned into a museum ship. It also features as a showcase for the Russian nuclear fleet, Atomflot. Tours given at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm (closed Monday and Tuesday). Tours are in Russian only but your guide is likely to speak English so you can ask him for explanations. 150 rubles for mandatory guided tour, or 100 rubles if you can hide the fact that you are a foreigner.. edit The city offers several museums, all mildly interesting for a visitor but gives a good appreciation for the region's history and art. Arctic Research Institute Exposition, Ul.

Knipovicha 6, ☎ 47 23 97. 9am to 4pm, Mon-Fri. Viewing apparently by appointment only; call and ask for Tatiana at least a few days in advance. edit Northern Navy Museum, Ul. Tortseva 15, ☎ 22 14 45. Although its name may sound boring, in fact this museum hosts a great naval exhibitions with vintage photos about pre-WWI ships, and a lot of models as well. WWII and the modern day navy (including the Kursk disaster) is also covered. 100 RUB + 50 RUB photo. edit Regional Arts Museum, Ul. Kominterna 13, ☎ 45 03 85, [5] . 11am to 6pm, Wed-Sun. edit Regional History Museum, Prospekt Lenina 90, ☎ 42 26 17, [6] . 11am to 5:45pm, daily except Thursday.

Contains displays on various themes, including the ethnography of local people, a taxidermy display of local flora and fauna (including polar bear and moose), arctic explorations and an extensive display on Murmansk's role in World War II. All displays in Russian only, cashier closes at 5:00pm. 25 Rubles. edit Shipping History Museum, Ul Volodarskovo 6, ☎ 48 13 56. 9am to 5pm, daily except Saturday. edit Do[ edit ][ add listing ] Take a ferry across the inlet to see Murmansk from the water. edit Oceanarium, Ul. Geroev-severomortsev 4 (On Lake Semyonovskaya), ☎ 31 58 84. See trained seals perform in the white domed building. edit Orthodox Monastery, Prospekt Kolskij (trolleybus nr 6 from the city centre going south). All day. Wooden, notched (no nails used) working monastery. Beautifully handcrafted monastery with two churches. The main church is open for visitors, gift-shop included.

The gift-shop has erratic opening-hours, but the monastery itself is open until very late, and if you show respect for the place and the people living there, they might open the church for you to see, even after closing-hours. Unclear when it "officially" closes. Beautiful hand-crafted wooden decorations inside the church, worth a look! edit Rent a car and visit Teriberka village east of Murmansk. Practically, the village is the only point on the Russian Kola peninsula where you can go out directly to the Barents sea. The road is in somewhat bad condition for the last 40 km (but driveable by any car), but the sea and the shore is a great view, plus you can enjoy a real polar tundra environment. Notice that the villages to the west of Murmansk are military zones and you are not permitted to visit them. edit Visit Kirovsk. Kirovsk is a city about 220 km south of Murmansk, situated within dramatic mountains. It is a ski and snowboard centre, but during summer - apart from the mountain views - the only thing worth visiting is the botanical garden located at the northern side of the lake.

Entry is free, but you need to book yourself a tour. The road to Kirovsk goes through a very nice taiga environment. edit Eat[ edit ][ add listing ] Cafe Leto, Prospekt Lenina 61 (Entrance off Ul. Yegorova), ☎ 45-96-06, [7] . A fasionable, clean cafe with a variety of international and Russian dishes and tempting desserts. Good service, menu in English. Entrees 300-500 rubles. edit Torro Steak House, Prospekt Lenina 80 (Next to the Meridian Hotel), ☎ 45-17-00. Menu in English Entrees 600-1000 rubles. edit Cafe Yunost, Prospekt Lenina (Next to the Anatoliy Bredov Statue). Coffees and desserts in a relaxing environment.And jolly good chicken and chips. edit Drink[ edit ][ add listing ] моисей (24-hour cafe with wireless internet), Kominterna ulitsa 9/1 (Downstairs in shopping complex across from train station.), [8] .

There doesn't seem to be a lot of wireless internet hotspots so моисей is a good option. Cheap draft beer and (uninviting) food, this is not a bad place to get one's bearings and check emails after arriving in the city. Some wild parties occur in/around abandoned factories during the white nights or summer week-ends. Get in touch with the locals for this. Sleep[ edit ][ add listing ] Five Corners Square, with the Meridian Hotel on the left Hotel Poliarnie Zori, Ul. Knipovicha 17 (A short walk up the hill from the Detskiy Mir bus stop), ☎ +7 815 228 95 00 ( hotel@russlandia.ru , fax: +7 815 228 95 04), [9] . A clean, well-located hotel with helpful front desk staff. Beginning at 1300 rubles for a basic single. edit Meridian Hotel, Ul. Vorovskogo 5/23 (On Five Corners Square), ☎ +7 815 228 89 00.

Not related to the international chain of a similar name. The lobby displays photos of notable former guests, including President Medvedev, which gives both an indicator of class of service and price. Beginning at 3500 rubles for a single. edit Arktika Hotel, Prospekt Lenina 82 (On Five Corners Square). Closed for renovation, which is expected to finish in 2012. As of August 2013, it is not yet finished. The new Owner (Azimuthotels) advertises now 2014 for re-opening. edit Hotel Ogni Murmanska, Ogni Murmanska st. 1 (город Мурманск), RUS-183032 Murmansk, ☎ +7 815 255 40 00. This hotel has 80 beds in 37 rooms. The standard is good and the hotel offers a very nice view. Good restaurant. The hotel accepts major credit cards, such as VISA, MasterCard and American Express. edit Black Belt Hostel. Reasonably priced self catering hostel, with also private rooms.

The hostel is about 15-20 minutes from the downtown area by foot. Very friendly and helpful English speaking staff. edit Evgeniia, ☎ +7 911 305 00 80. checkin: 24/7; checkout: 24/7. edit Consulates[ edit ] Finland (Murmansk office of the General Consulate of Finland in Saint Petersburg), Karl Marks street, 25 A, ☎ +7 (8152) 445-382 ( sanomat.msk@formin.fi , fax: +7 (8152) 448-341). Mon-Thu 9-30 - 12-00. edit Netherlands (General Consulate), S.

Perovskaya street, 5 (at General Consulate of Norway), ☎ +7 (8152) 40-06-00 (common), (8152) 40-06-20 (visas) ( visum-mmk@mfa.no , fax: +7 (8152) 45-74-51, 47-61-78, 45-68-71). Mon-Thu 9-00 - 12-00. edit Norway (General Consulate), S. Perovskaya street, 5, ☎ +7 (8152) 40-06-00 (common), (8152) 40-06-20 (visas) ( cons.gen.murmansk@mfa.no , fax: +7 (8152) 45-74-51, 47-61-78, 45-68-71). Mon-Thu 9-00 - 12-00. edit Sweden (General Consulate), S.

Perovskaya street, 5 (at General Consulate of Norway), ☎ +7 (8152) 40-06-00 (common), (8152) 40-06-20 (visas) ( visum-mmk@mfa.no , fax: +7 (8152) 45-74-51, 47-61-78, 45-68-71). Mon-Thu 9-00 - 12-00. edit Get out[ edit ] The wilderness of the Kola peninsula and Murmansk Oblast is perfect for camping, fishing or hunting. A great deal of travellers continue out into the wild from here. There are several large national parks nearby and there are several companies to organize your trip. Or you can head north; Murmansk is a great place to start your icebreaker cruise [10] to the Arctic Sea and the North Pole . You may see the Kusnetsov aircraft carrier north of Murmansk, 500m south of the icebreakers. Beware of FSB though...

Rent a car (French Renault Logan for about 25 euros for 24 hours) and drive north to the Barents Sea (2 hours). Murmansk | Against All Odds Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Population 316,475 Murmansk (Russian: Му́рманск; Kildin Sami: Мурман ланнҍ; Northern Sami: Murmánska; Skolt Sami: Muurman) is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russian SFSR , Soviet Union located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, an inlet of the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, close to the Soviet Union's borders with Norway and Finland . Despite its extremely-northern latitude of 68°58'N (just 2° north of the Arctic Circle at approximately 66°33'N), Murmansk is in many ways similar to other Russian cities of its size at far-lower latitudes, with highway and railway access to the rest of Europe, and the northernmost trolleybus system on Earth.

This is in stark contrast to the isolation of other major Arctic maritime cities such as Dikson , Krasnoyarsk Krai (73°30'N) in the far-north of Siberia on the shores of the Kara Sea or Iqaluit , Nunavut in Canada on Baffin Island's Frobisher Bay off the Labrador Sea (actually further south at 63°44'N). While still having long, harsh winters, Murmansk enjoys somewhat warmer temperatures, relatively speaking, than other regions at similarly high latitudes due to the moderating effects of the Gulf Stream on the Barents Sea. murmansk : Northern Experiments 25 FACTS ABOUT MURMANSK BuroMoscow 1.Murmansk is the largest city above the Arctic Circle with an average yearly temperature of 0 degrees. Murmansk is the center of the Murmansk region, part of the Northern Economic Zone of Russia. In the north, in the east, and partially in the south, the Region is washed by the waters of the Barents and White Seas.

The Murmansk Region borders on Finland and Norway to the east, and on the Republic of Karelia to the south. According to the Russian regional classification, the Kola Peninsula, despite its arctic location, belongs to the "Near North". This is because it is well developed and populated, located relatively close to the country’s industrial centers (1,000 km from St. Petersburg, and 1,600 km from Moscow), and connected to them by rail, road and flight networks. 2.Murmansk is the largest port of the Barents region (14 million tons), 97% of the turnover is export The influence of the North Cape Gulf Stream keeps the port open year-round, even though it lies 124 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Murmansk commercial seaport is the second largest port in Northwest Russia in terms of cargo turnover (after St. Petersburg). The port lies at the Northern Sea Route, which is the shortest sea link between Europe and South-East Asia. The main cargo shipped through Murmansk commercial port is currently coal from Kuzbass. The year-round navigation is supported by the nuclear-powered icebreakers.

The railroad, however, has a dead-end 20 kilometers from the port, and many routes to Murmansk are one way only. This means that transport to the port is limited by the current capacity of the railroad link between Murmansk and other parts of Russia. With the development of Murmansk Transport Hub until the year 2010, the port will be capable of handling 28,5 million tons of goods. By the year 2020, 52 million tons of goods can be transported instead of the current 14 million. 3.Murmansk is expected to become the core city of Shtokman gas field development The Shtokman gas and condensate field was discovered in 1988. This field is located in the central part of the Russian sector of the Barents Sea shelf, about 600 km northeast of the city of Murmansk at local sea depths varying from 320 to 340 m. The field’s reserves account for 3.8 trillion m3 of gas and circa 37 million tons of gas condensate.

The Shtokman development project envisages producing some 70 billion m3 of natural gas and 0.6 million tons of gas condensate annually, comparable to the annual gas output of Norway, one of the largest European gas suppliers. On February 21, 2008 Gazprom, Total and StatoilHydro signed a Shareholder Agreement establishing Shtokman Development AG as a special purpose company. Gazprom owns 51%, Total 25% and StatoilHydro 24% of the company’s stock. 4.Murmansk is an island of commercial activity flanked by inaccessible areas Established in 1915 at the end of a railroad line to the Kola Peninsula, it is now surrounded by two categories of towns based on their specializations: closed towns with military functions (Zaozersk, Ostrovnoy, Polyarniy, Severomorsk, Snezhnogorsk), and one-company towns such as Kirovsk, Kandalaksha, Nickel, Pechenga, Monchegorsk, Olenegorsk and Kovdor. The east part of the Kola Peninsula is almost uninhabited and has neither rail nor motor roads.

It is mostly covered by swamp areas and tundra. The only transportation route to rare small settlements is by helicopter and, in some instances, by boat. The west part of the peninsula has some forests and a few motor roads connecting it with Finland and Norway. 5.Murmansk lies between several hills, Kola bay to the west and swamps to the east These geographic conditions limit city spreading. City development happened mainly on flat plateaus to avoid construction difficulties. Left-over hill sites are voids in the city, hardly used as recreational areas. Murmansk has no park. 6.Murmansk inner city rivers are the most polluted areas in Barents region With the growing care for the environment, cleaning the city should become a political tool. Unless the companies exploiting Shtokman field register subsidiaries locally, they will end up paying their taxes in Moscow rather than in the Murmansk region, which would mean locals not benefiting from their presence 7.Only 1% of residential buildings are one-family houses Ecological Footprint analyses show that housing density, distance from the city centre, and the type of housing unit determine the total Footprint of the separate households. Such analyses provide a basis for discussing the different models for sustainable towns.

On the one hand, there are those who propose that relatively dense housing patterns, with a low percentage of detached houses, result in lower per-capita consumption. Such compact towns, it is claimed, not only satisfy the principles for energy-saving physical planning, but also generally match up with the demands of sustainable development. On the other hand, there are those who propose a relatively open town structure: green towns, involving the development principle of a potential reduction in the circulation of local resources. The calculations suggest there is a basis for promoting a decentralized concentration as a profitable compromise between the two models. Such an approach involves support for establishing compact "mini-towns". 8.Murmansk is divided into three districts with their own sub-centers The division in 3 parts is a result of the juxtaposition of a linear structure over the hilly landscape. The band–like structure is curving around the hills, forming three districts. The oldest central district Oktyabrsky was built after the WWII in the style of Stalin architecture, Leninsky - Khhruschka’s 5-story buildings were built in 60-ies style and Pervomaysky boasts 9 story-housing from the 70-80ies.

9.The city is defined by two types of territory, fully accessible modernist setup and inaccessible industrial areas The modernist city model has no gradation of public space. Private ownership exists only on the level of housing and parking. 10.Ground floor housing is often abandoned and offers opportunities to extend public space 90% of city buildings are housing blocks with dwellings on the ground floor. As the city shrunk and there was more choice of houses than needed, people started to shift and exchange their ground floor apartments for apartments on higher floors, leaving a visible amount of houses empty. The city should anti-squat them: give them away for private initiative of small users. 11.Murmansk is a generic soviet artificial city with architecture under-challenged in its specific location There has been no considerable building development in the city since the end of the 80-ies. Murmansk doesn’t necessarily need more housing; it needs better and larger housing. There is a need for sustainable northern shelter that can provide the necessary level of comfort and feeling of ownership. 12.Murmansk prefab housing has limited life span Khruchevs 637 5-story housing blocks have reached their time limit and have to be replaced now.

The majority of Murmansk housing was built in the1970’s-1980’s in prefab panel construction. This type of building has a life span of 100 years. 13.Murmansk is a city on the water with no access to the water Water always fascinates man. A city on the water is beautiful as long as the water can be used. A house with a view onto and access to the water is a luxury. With so little luxuries available in this severe place, one should create some. Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Hamburg and Barcelona traded off there historical harbors for the more efficient container terminals outside the cities, leaving the waterfront free for building development, creating new city centers. The project is usually divided between different developers responsible for sanitation of the ground. The same model could be applicable to Murmansk. 14.Murmansk is a linear city The ideal linear city would consist of a series of functionally specialized parallel sectors. Generally, the city would run parallel to a river and be built so that the dominant wind would blow from the residential areas to the industrial strip.

The sectors of a linear city would be: 1.a purely segregated zone for railway lines 2.a zone of production and communal enterprises, with related scientific, technical and educational institutions 3.a green belt or buffer zone with major highway, 4.a residential zone, including a band of social institutions, a band of residential buildings and a "children's band" 5.a park zone 6.an agricultural zone with gardens and state-run farms (sovkhozy in the Soviet Union). 15.‘Garage towns’ occupy major parts of the city Murmansk has more garages per capita then any other city in Russia. If put together they would occupy the whole Oktyabrsky district. 16.Murmansk is a city of heroes Murmansk military glory of the past wars is the main theme strongly represented in city’s iconography. The image of the city is tough; it is heroic, severe, hard-working, uncompromised. 17.Murmansk is a shrinking city with great expectations The biggest city north of the Arctic Circle in the late 1980s with a population of more than 450,000, Murmansk experienced major exodus after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The drop to 313,300 in 2008 comes after a year of lower birth rates and higher death rates. In addition to the negative natural population growth came a net exodus of 2100 people. With the Shtokman development 50 000 are expected to arrive, which will reach the level of 1978. 18.Murmansk is a city of constant migration In Soviet times Northern cities attracted workers with up to 100% higher salaries, longer and fully paid holidays at the Black sea, earlier retirement, special food and clothing supplies. One had to sign up for at least 5 years in Murmansk. Not much of these policies are left, yet Murmansk remains a temporary home for most of its inhabitants. 19.Murmansk is not specialized – neither a port nor a bureaucratic center The city is big enough to not be one-sided. It has a healthy variety of places of labor. The elderly population, though, is increasing dramatically.

20.Murmansk offers extreme sports and leisure activity Snow boarding, kite boarding, diving, paragliding, off road driving, snow safari, skiing, yachting, Kola salmon fishing, wild bear hunting, not to mention icebreakers, nuclear waste and post communist atmosphere. 21.Murmansk sees daylight only 300 days a year, out of which 14 with sunshine The polar night (i.e. when the sun doesn’t show at all even during daytime) begins on 22 November and ends on 15 January. The polar day period begins on 18 May and ends on 24 June. The period when heating of houses is required is ten months per year. The first ray of sunlight in January is largely celebrated by everyone singing the song “The ray of golden sun” that was sung by Muslim Magomaev in the 70-ies cartoon. 22.Murmansk has piercing south/north winds with a decrease of comfort temperature up to 20 degrees In April 2008 the first windmill was plugged into the Kola electric grid. The Dutch company Wind Life Arctic plans to build a 200-megawatt wind park in the near future.

One should find more alternatives to prevent the planned extension of the Kola Nuclear Power plant with two new nuclear reactors 23.Murmansk has 131 days of rain, 168 days of snow - more days of precipitation than any city in Europe The weather in Murmansk is formed by cyclones and anticyclones from the Barents Sea and the Golf stream. In Murmansk they say: June – no summer yet, July – no summer already. In the Russian Federation, 92 locations are dryer, 46 are wetter. Globally, 871 locations are dryer, 3341 are wetter. 24.One can see polar light in Murmansk 26 days a year There seems to be an important trend in tourism towards weather phenomena, and the northern lights have become of great interest to tourists. It is a bit like a safari, in that one cannot guarantee seeing the northern lights. Murmansk is one of the best places to see them, along with Greenland, Bear Lake, Alaska, Fairbanks and Iceland.

25.Murmansk has been ranked the third best medium sized city in Russia This research of “The Institute of City Economics” compared the numbers that describe the level of services, such as the number of kindergartens, schools, shops and hospitals per capita and the average salary and housing Buromoscow is an architectural firm specialized in architecture, urbanism and research based in Moscow, Russia. Buromoscow has introduced an analytical and conceptual approach to design tasks not common yet to the Russian building market. In the past years the office has realized several social housing projects with the focus on improving prefabricated panel construction systems. The office is investigating alternative urban typologies in the framework of the changing soviet city. Due to the tremendous building volume in Russia the office production cover a range of projects from XS to XXL. Recently Buromoscow opened its dependence office Buroberlin in Berlin. Team: Olga Aleksakova, Julia Bourdova, Andreas Huhn, Igor Aparyn, Bastian Henning, Lidiya Koloyarskaya, Natalia Remizova, Natalia Suhova, Olga Vlasenko, Dimitrij Zadorin

Question: The Russian port of Murmansk lies on Kola Bay, an inlet of which sea?
Answer: BARENTS SEA